Rotary engine.



No. 645,360. y Patented Mar. I3, |900.

E. J. HERCHERT.

ROTARY ENGINE.

' (Application filed June 11, 1898.)

@No Modal.)

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ROTARY ENGINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 645,360, dated March 13, 1900.

Application filed June 11,1898. Serial No. 683,199. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom, it may concern:

Be it known that- I, EDWIN J. HERCHERT, a citizen of the United States, residing at Garnavillo, in the county of Clayton and State of Iowa, have invented a new and useful Rotary Engine, of which the following is a specification.

y invention relates to rotary engines of the concentric-piston type, and has for one object to provide a compact and eflicient construction and arrangement of parts designed to utilize the maximum expansion of motive agent and, furthermore, to provide simple and efficient means for controlling the application of pressure to the piston-wings or moving abutments and for reversing the direction of rotation of the piston.

A further object of the invention is to provide eccentric means for preventing back pressure from the inlet port, or, in other words, to provide a fixed abutment which is permanently in contact with the face of the body portion of the piston, to provide locking means for maintaining an even pressure of the piston-wings upon the eccentric surface of the cylinder, and to provide means for taking up Wear between the flanges of the piston-rim and the side surfaces of the eccentric-piston-wing-repressing means.

Furtherobjects and advantages of this invention will appear in the following description, and the novel features thereof will be particularly pointed ont in the appended claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a central vertical section of the engine embodying my present invention, the same being taken parallel with and in the plane of the axis of the piston, as indicated by the line 1 1 of Fig. 2. Fig. 2 is a vertical central section of the engine, taken in a plane transverse to the plane of the piston. Fig. 3 is a detail section on the line 3 3 of Fig. 2.

Similar numerals of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures of the drawings.

My present invention consists of an improvement upon the construction shown and described in my former patent, No. 609,543, granted August 23, 1898, and, referring to the drawings, 1 designates a base by which is supported a cylinder 2, having heads 3, and revol ubly mounted in the casing is a concentric piston having a rim 4, spokes 5, and a hub 6, the latter being keyed to the driven shaft 7, which is mounted in bearings 8, supported by pedestals 9, rising from the base or bed plate. The rim of the piston is channeled concentrically to form parallel side ribs 10, of which the peripheries are in contact with the inner surface of the cylinder and flush with the shoulders 11 on the cylinder-heads, said shoulders forming bearings for the inner surface of the cylindrical Wall of the casing. The ribs of the piston are fitted with suitable packing-strips 12, held from independent movement by reason of contact With the inner surface of the cylinder-wall by means of pins 13.

Communicating With the interior of the casing in the space between the peripheral ribs 10 of the piston by means of cylinder-ports 14 is a steam-chest 15, having a supply-port 16 and an exhaust-port 17, said cylinder and exhaust ports being controlled by a throttlevalve 18 of the sliding type, said valve having a stern 19. This valve-stem is connected by a link 20 With an arm 21 on a rock-shaft 22.

The wall of the cylinder is provided between the planes of the ribs 10 of the piston with an eccentric cylinderrib 23, having beveled side surface, in contact with which are arranged the inner beveled surfaces ofthe ribs 10, and carried by the piston for permanent contact with the inner surface of the eccentric rib are yielding piston-wings, hereinafter described in detail, said piston-Wings, as in the ordinary construction, being designed to receive the pressure of the motive agent in order to impart rotary motion to the piston.

Mounted for rotary adjustment coaxially with the piston and preferably upon the shaft 7 thereof is an eccentric 28, having a sleeve 29, which is mounted in an extended bearing 30, formed in the center of the contiguous cylinder-head. Fixed to the outer end of this sleeve 29 and having a flange 3l overlapping the contiguous end of the bearing 30 is arevoluble cap 32, which in the construction illustrated is preferably provided with sprocketteeth to constitute a chain Wheelv or pulley, the attachment of this cap to the sleeve being accomplished by means of a pin 34 or its IOO equivalent. It is obvious that by turning the cap 32 the eccentric may be adjusted to vary the position of its major diameter, and in order that this may be accomplished with facility I attach to the cap 32 the inner end of a reversing-lever 3u, bolts 37 being employed for this purpose. The reversing-lever may be locked at the desired adjustment by means of a seat 38, mounted to slide upon the lever and having an actuating'- spring 39, whereby it is normallyheld depressed toward the axis of the lever, and a series of spaced pins 40, projecting longitudinally from the contiguous cylinder-head and adapted to fit in the seat 38 when the latter is alined radially therewith. For withdrawing the seat 38 from one of the holding-pins 40 I employ a hand-lever 4l.

Projecting radially from the eccentric-strap 42, which is mounted upon the eccentric 28, is an eccentric-arm 57, any suitable means being employed for accomplishing this attachment, as clearly set forth in my former application above mentioned, and in practice a plurality of these eccentric-arms extend from the eccentric-strap and have connection with slides 63, of angular or elbow shape, mounted for radial movement upon the piston. In the construction illustrated the radial arm of the slide 63 is of cross-sectionally-angularshape andis slotted,as shown at 62, for engagement by a pin 60, attached to the end of the eccentric-arm, said pin being shouldered, as shown at 6l, to bear against the face of the slide and being fitted in contact with the inner surface of the slide with a nut 65, whereby the radial adjustment of the slide with relation to the eccentric-arm may be varied. Carried by each of the slides is a piston-wing stem 49, which extends radially into a socket 50, formed in the contiguous piston-wing 5l. This piston-wing is fitted to slide radially in a pocket 52, formed in the periphery or rim of the piston, and is provided with lateral stop-cars 53 for limiting the inward movement thereof, suitable depressions being formed in the periphery of the piston to receive the stops, whereby the outer end of the wing is adapted to occupy a position iiush with the iioor of the channel in the piston. The piston-wing stem extends through a cap-screw 54 in the inner end of the socket 50 and is provided with a collar 55, between which and the outer end of the socket is arranged a coiled spring 56, whereby the outer end of the piston is adapted to be held in yielding contact with the innerA surface of the eccentric-rib throughout the rotation of the piston.

In the construction illustrated each pistouwing is sectional in that it includes a body portion 5l, terminating at its outer end in a knuckle 66, and a bearing-cap 67, having in its inner side a socket to receive said knuckle, the axis of the knuckle being parallel with the axis of the piston, whereby the cap is capable of rocking movement to bear uniformly at its outer surface against the inner surface of the eccentric rib. Also the cap is iianged at its inner side, as shown at G8, to fit into cavities or seats 69, of which the inner walls consist of continuations of the knuckle, whereby the fianges 68 overlap the outer Walls of the seats to form a steam-tight joint between the piston-wing members. It will be understood thatgthe stops 53 are arranged on the outer member or cap of the piston-wing.

In practice the eccentric rib is so arranged as to project at all points slightly beyond the inner surface of the cylinder-wall, although the amount of projection gradually decreases from a point midway between the cylinderports 14 and a diametrically-opposite point; but owing to the snug fitting of the sides of the channel in the body portion of the piston against the beveled sides of the eccentric rib and the fact that each piston-wing is of an axial length equal to the base of the eccentric rib or equal to the channel of the piston at its'widest point or iiush with the peripheries of the piston-ribs lO it is obvious that the leakage of motive agent across the plane of a piston-wing is effectually prevented. In practice the length of each piston-wing measured axially of the piston is slightly in excess of the width of the channel at the periphery oi' the piston-ribs l0, as clearly shown in Fig. l.

It will be understood that the efficiency of the engine as above described depends toa great extent upon the snug fitting of the inner surfaces of the ribs l0 against the sides of the eccentric cylinder-rib, and in order that this snug bearing may be maintained and that lost motion due to wear and other causes may be taken up I employ a sectional construction of piston, wherein one of the ribs l0 thereof is adjustable (axially of the piston) toward and from the other rib. In the construction illustrated the adjustable rib 10a is carried bya ring 70, mounted upon a sleeve 7l, which forms an integral part of the piston-body, and this adjustable ring is held in the desired position to secure a steamtight contact between the inner surface of the rib l0 and the contiguous side of the cylinder-rib by means of collar-bolts 72, threaded into the rim of the body portion of the piston, having intermediate collars 73, which occupy alined cavities in said piston-rim and the concealed surface of the ring 70, and clamp-nuts 74, threaded upon the outer extremities of said collar-bolts. The portions of the collar-bolts beyond ,the points of engagement of the clamp-n uts 74 are constructed to form wrench-seats 75, and it is obvious that by loosening the clamp-nuts and applying a wrench to the seats 75 the collar-bolts may be turned to thread them inwardly at their inner ends into the piston-rim, whereupon the subsequent tightening of the nuts 74 will draw the adjustable ring 70 closer to the plane of the eccentric rib 23. In this way any desired pressure of the inner surface of 645,360 I Si the piston-rims upon the sides of the eccentric rib may be obtained to secure the effective application of the motive agent to the piston-wings Without creating undue friction.

Various changes in the form, proportion, and the minor details of construction may be resorted to Without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of this invention.

Having described my invention, what I claim isl. In a rotary engine, the combination of a cylinder having an interior eccentric rib, a rotary peripherally-ribbed piston mounted concentrically in the cylinder With its ribs arranged upon opposite sides of the cylinderrib, the inner sides of said piston-ribs being in contact with the cylinder-rib, one ot` the piston-ribs being axially adjustable toward and from the other, means for securing said piston-rib at the desired adjustment, and piston-Wings yielding] y held in contact with the inner eccentric surface of the cylinder-rib, substantially as described.

2. In a rotary engine, the combination of a cylinder having an interiorly-eccentric rib, a rotary peripherally-ribbed piston mounted concentrically in the cylinder, the contiguous side faces of said cylinder and piston ribs being beveled and the peripheries of the ribs being in contact with the cylinder-Wall, radially-movable piston-Wings yieldingly held in contact with the eccentric interior surface of the cylinder-rib and having rocking caps, and valve mechanism operatively connected with the piston, substantially as specified.

3. In a rotary engine, the combination of a cylinder having an interiorly-eccentric rib, a rotary peripherally-ribbed piston mounted concentrically in the cylinder with its ribs arranged upon opposite sides of and in contact with the cylinder-rib7 one ot' the pistonribs being axially adjustable toward and from the other, means for securing said'piston-rib at the desired adjustment, radiallymovable piston-wings yieldingly held in contact with the inner eccentric surface of the cylinderrib, and valve mechanism operatively connected with the piston, substantially as specified.

4. In a rotary engine, the combination of a cylinder having an interorly-eccentric rib, a rotary peripherallyribbed pistou mounted concentrically in the cylinder with its ribs arranged upon opposite sides of the cylinderrib, one of said piston-ribs being carried by a ring fitted for axial adjustment upon a sleeve forming an element of the body portion of the piston, collar-bolts threaded at their inner ends into the body portion of the piston and fitted in smooth openings in said ring, with their outer ends provided with Wrenchseats, clamp-nuts threaded upon the outer ends of said collar-bolts to secure said ring at the desired adjustment, radially-movable piston-Wings mounted upon the piston and yieldingly held in contact with the eccentric interior surface of the cylinder-rib, and valve mechanism operatively connected With the piston, 'substantially as specified.

5. In a rotary engine, the combination of a cylinder having an interiorly-eccentric cylinder-rib, a rotary peripherally-ribbed piston mounted concentrically in the cylinder with its ribs arranged upon opposite sides of the plane of the cylinder-rib, and in steam-tight contact With the side surfaces thereof, radially-movable piston-Wings mounted upon the piston and yieldingly held in contact with the eccentric interior surface of the cylinder-rib, each piston-Wing consisting of a radially-movable body portion provided With a knuckle axially parallel with the piston, and a cap having a socket fitted upon said knuckle and adapted for rocking movement, and valve mechanism operatively connected with the piston, substantially as specified.

6. In a rotary engine, the combination of a cylinder having an interiorly-eccentric cylinder-rib, a rotary peripherally-ribbed piston mounted concentrically in the cylinder with its ribs arranged upon opposite sides of the plane of the cylinder-rib, and in steam-tight contact with the side surfaces thereof, radiallymovable piston-wings mounted upon the piston and yieldin gly held in contact with the eccentric interior surface of the cylinder-rib, each piston-Wing consisting of a radially-movable body portion provided with a knuckle axially parallel with the piston, and a cap having a socket fitted upon said knuckle and adapted for rocking movement, the cap being flanged to fit in seats in the outer end of the body portion to break joint therewith, and valve mechanism operatively connected with the piston, substantially as specified.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two Witnesses.

EDWIN J. HERCI-IERT.

Vi t nesses THOMAS CASUTT, AUGUST HUENE.

IOO 

